Minato and Carrie
by Anime PJ
Summary: Minato Arisato is back from the dead. He is sent to Maine by the newly formed Shadow Operatives to recon for Shadow activity. What he finds there is a shy girl with a bad life, can he help her? Can he save Carrie White from herself? Minato/Carrie First in the 'Tormented Souls' series.
1. Prelude to Disaster

**Welcome, one and all, to my first attempt at a crossover fic! I was recently watching the 2013 remake of the movie 'Carrie' and started wondering what would've happened if Minato Arisato had been there. So here it is!**

**This fanfiction is rated M for strong violence and language. This fanfiction is a crossover between Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 and Stephen King's Carrie. It will contain elements and characters from both. The main plot will be based around the 2013 movie Carrie but will contain some elements from the novel.**

**I hope you enjoy!**

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><p><span>Prelude to Disaster<span>

My name is Minato Arisato and technically speaking, I'm a zombie. When I say that I don't mean that I'm walking the earth in a shambling mess eating people. No. It's more... complicated than that.

Over the year 2009 I found myself fighting against entities known as 'Shadows'. They were the physical incarnation of humanity's negative emotions, the things they hid from others and couldn't accept about themselves. In order to fight them, me and my friends in SEES (Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad), used a special power that was available to only a special group of people. The power of Persona. Personas are our Shadows, only they're made up of the things we share and accept about ourselves.

I'm what is known as a Wild Card. A person with the capability of wielding multiple Personas. Using this special ability I protected my friends and allies as best I could. But it didn't always work. We lost people along the way. Shinjiro, Mitsuru's father, Chidori. Allies and friends that died in our war to save the Earth.

We went through betrayal as well as loss. Shuji Ikutsuki was the adviser for SEES. He was also a backstabbing two-faced son of a bitch. He was part of a group who wanted to release a Shadow known as Death in order to bring about The Fall. The end of the world. He killed Mitsuru's father when he attempted to help us and then reprogrammed Aigis, an android on our team, to kill us. Luckily for us he was sent right off the top of Tartarus and had his blood splattered all over the place. Good riddance to the bastard I say.

Other people who wanted The Fall were Strega. Takaya, Jin and Chidori. They started out as assassins who accepted revenge requests and then killed people during The Dark Hour, the time of day when the Shadows came out to play. Eventually we captured Chidori and after much time trying to get information out of her she was busted out by Strega. They didn't count on her falling in love with Junpei during his many visits to the hospital we were keeping her at. So when Takaya shot and killed Junpei, Chidori used her healing powers to bring him back from the dead but the downside was that all the damage bounced back onto her. Chidori died to save my best friend.

The biggest kick in the teeth Strega dealt us though, was the night Takaya killed Shinjiro. Ken, our youngest member, followed Shinjiro in the night while the rest of us were taking on a powerful Shadow. Ken was out for revenge after Shinjiro's Persona went berserk and killed his mother. As it turned out Shinjiro wasn't a natural Persona user, he was forced into it, which meant his Persona was unstable. He had to take a special medication to keep it in check but there was a catch. The meds were slowly killing him. When Ken found this out he was distraught. His revenge had been taken from him because whether he did it or not, Shinjiro was going to die. Seeing that Ken wasn't going to do it, Takaya did instead. He sent a bullet into Shinjiro's chest and one of my best friends died.

If I just listed off all the shit that happened that year then I would be here for ages so I'm gonna skip to the part about me. In 1999 my parents died in an 'accident' on Moonlight Bridge. I found out in 2009 that the accident was actually Aigis fighting with Death. The car was totaled and I was left alive... if you could call it alive. I spent the next ten years of my life without really expressing my emotions to anyone. We killed twelve Shadows over the course of 2009 that were different to the others, more powerful. When all twelve were gone I found myself expressing my emotions more openly which was weird, then I found out the secret behind my invitation to Port Island.

I was Death. Or, more accurately, Death was sealed inside of my by Aigis after it became clear that she couldn't beat it in a fight. The twelve Shadows we killed were pieces of Death and when they were all gone, Death was released from me. In order to bring about The Fall he called an entity called Nyx whom I engaged in battle. Nyx couldn't be killed so I did the next best thing. I gave up my soul in order to seal Nyx away forever. A few months later at the end of the school year I died peacefully on the roof.

Then I woke up.

It was in the hospital a few days later and I couldn't figure out what was going on. I'd created that seal knowing that it was going to kill me. I was informed by Igor, a strange entity that resided in the Velvet Room, that this was a reward of sorts for my selfless actions. The seal was still in place and I was still alive.

Too bad my life couldn't have been peaceful from this point on.

~Minato and Carrie~

"Shadow Operatives?" I asked Mitsuru. She was explaining to me a new idea she had for ending the Shadow activity that still lingered around the world.

"Yes." She told me. "The ex-members of SEES all still have the ability to use a Persona even after the Dark Hour has ended. This was the main location for Shadow activity but there are small pockets of activity in other places around the world. If we act before the infestations get any bigger then we could end this for good."

"Well, I'm in." I accepted instantly. "Those things have pretty much been my life since I was six years old. It'll be good to put it all to bed."

"Then you'll have no problem doing a little recon in America." She smirked at me.

"America?"

"Specifically Maine." She handed me a file. I opened it and read the name of the small town she wanted to send me to.

_Chamberlain._

"What's so important about this place?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Most of the Shadow activity we've recorded outside of Port Island has been in small towns just like that one." She informed me. "There was also an unexplained incident there years ago in which the town's rain took on an odd characteristic. It began to rain stones."

"Stones?"

"Indeed. No explanation, nothing. There was a large amount of psychic energy in the area at the time and the strangest thing was that the stones only fell around one house."

"That is strange." I clicked my tongue in thought. "When do I leave?"

"Next week. You'll be enrolled at the high school there and you're to look out for anything suspicious. The girl who lives at the house also attends the school. If you can, then get some information about the stones from her."

I looked into the file again and saw the names of the owner and her daughter.

_Margaret White_

_Carrie White_

They looked like a perfectly normal single mother and daughter. _This'll be over and done with in no time._

"Okay, I'll look over this and be at the airport next week." I said with a smile before walking off.

_Small town, quiet environment, school. How bad could it be?_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Fuck!_

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><p><strong>There's the prologue to my first attempt at a crossover. Please tell me what I could do to improve and give suggestions for things you want to see happen in this. I have the plot outlined, I just like to hear about what you'd like.<strong>

**Next Chapter: The Arrival and the Video**


	2. The Arrival and the Video

**Welcome, dear readers, to the second chapter of my first crossover fanfiction. I can see that there are a few of you out there, which is good. It means I'm not cocking it up.**

**Oh well, this chapter Minato arrives in Chamberlain. Ooh, and I put in a cameo from a certain action movie. See if you can spot it.**

**Let's begin.**

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><p><span>The Arrival and the Video<span>

I was sitting on a plane heading for the States listening to 'Burn My Dread' on my MP3 player. This music brought back so many memories. It was the song I'd listened to when I was on the train to Tatsumi Port Island back before all the shit. It seemed so long ago now.

I was taking another look through what Mitsuru had given me. I honestly didn't see why recon was needed on this. There was barely any evidence to suggest that anything was even going on in Chamberlain to begin with. Some stones fell from the sky, whoop-de-fucking-do! Weird shit happens all the time in other places. Why was this place so special?

I decided to mull that over another time and headed for the plane bathroom. The mirror in there reflected back a 17 year old boy with blue hair covering his left eye. The one revealed eye of this boy was silver. I smiled at my reflection. It would be considered a weird look in the US but I didn't give a damn. I liked the way I looked.

I did my business and sat back in my seat. _Only an hour to go. _I thought. _I really hope I can get a bit of peace in this town. It looks like a pleasant enough place._

Oh, how wrong I was.

~Minato and Carrie~

The plane landed and I exited with the other passengers. I wasn't in Chamberlain yet, I'd have to drive there. How? You ask. Mitsuru said she'd arranged for a car to be brought to me. I'd taken my drivers test so I didn't have to worry about that.

I got outside and saw one of those guys you get at airports who hold the signs up for who they're looking for. He was black, had short black hair and wore a suit with sunglasses. The sign read 'Minato Arisato'.

I approached him. "Hey, you the guy who's bringing me the car?" I asked in English. Yes, I can speak English. It would've been a shit decision to send me to America if I couldn't.

"You Mr. Arisato?" He asked. I nodded. "Then yeah, man. The name's Argon. Nice to meet ya."

"Nice to meet you too." I said as I shook his hand.

"I gotta say man," He said as he lead me across the parking lot. "The car you got here is a hell of a machine, I got one myself at home."

"What car is it?" I inquired.

"Right there." He pointed as he handed me the keys. I looked and _Son of a bitch... is that a PRIUS!?_

"Are you kidding me?" I asked incredulously, looking at the small blue car. "Everything I've heard about these makes them sound like complete crap."

"Nah, man." He reassured. "That's just what them bastards who think they're above 'em want people to think. Well, I gotta go." He handed me a business card with his name on it. "I drive a limo too. If ya ever need one then look me up. I don't care where it is, I'll get to ya. See ya man!" He walked off towards what I could only assume was a taxi. From that short encounter I could already say that I liked Argon.

Sighing to myself I saw no other option. I got into the Prius and began my long drive to Chamberlain.

~Minato and Carrie~

This car was fucking awesome! I don't care how small it was, the damn thing could go pretty fast for such a tiny car. The house I'd been placed in in Chamberlain as just across the street from the place where the stones had fallen. That was a lucky placement if I ever saw one.

I didn't really have to go anywhere today except to the school and even that was only for an hour in order to see the layout of the place before I started. So I used the few hours of my day before that in order to move my stuff in and check that I'd brought everything.

I opened the suitcase that held my equipment. In the case was my Evoker (a gun-like object that allowed me to summon my Personas), an _actual _revolver in case I got into any trouble with the locals and the golden hilt of a sword.

I smiled. That sword is one of my prized possessions. It can only be used by me, which is why it was only a hilt, and has the spirit of the Archangel Michael embedded in it. The name of the sword was Deus Xiphos and trust me, it was a bitch to get.

After equipping myself by stuffing it all into pockets in my jacket I unpacked the rest of my stuff to get settled in. When I was done I saw that it was time for me to head to the school for the tour. The tour itself was organised by Mitsuru (who can apparently do fucking ANYTHING) as a way of me getting to know my surroundings for the mission.

I hopped into the Prius and started driving to the school. I was getting a few odd looks from this car but I didn't care. I had a job to do so it wasn't like these people's opinions would matter in the long run. It was at this point that I started wondering why I was even here. Was stones falling from the sky really a good reason to do recon? I made a mental note to email Mitsuru about it later.

I arrived at the high school and parked outside. I didn't think I'd be there long, nor did I think it'd be that eventful a visit so I walked in clearly looking like I was bored out of my skull. I walked up to the woman at the reception desk.

"Excuse me." I got her attention. "I'm the new student from Japan. Minato Arisato, someone should be expecting me."

She smiled and looked on the computer. She found me and looked back to me with a smile. "The principle's office is just down that hall." She told me.

"Thank you." I walked down the hall she had pointed me down and found the office marked 'Principle'. I knocked on the door and was told to come in. "Hello." I said as I opened the door. "I'm the transfer student and I..." I could see that I'd interrupted something. There was the principle, a muscular woman who I assumed was a gym teacher and a female student with pretty blonde hair and a nervous look sat/stood around the desk. "If I'm interrupting something I can just come back later..." I offered.

"No, no." The principle said. "We'll be done in a minute. Just have to sort out this issue." He turned back to his conversation, apparently not minding my presence. "Now, who was it who started throwing... things?" He asked hesitantly. This subject clearly made him uncomfortable.

"It was Chris Hargensen and her friends." The woman said with some anger in her voice.

The principle turned to the girl. "Casey..."

"Carrie." The woman interrupted him. My eyes widened, was this the girl who lived across the street?

"...Carrie," The principle picked up. "Did Chris Hargensen start this?"

"I don't mean to interrupt but should I really be here for this?" I asked again. This seemed a little too... private.

"It's okay." The principle waved me off. "It's just a little situation..."

"They started throwing tampons at her in the showers." The woman said to him. "That isn't a 'little' situation."

"They did what!?" I asked in disgust. "That's just... _horrible. _Are you alright?" I directed the question at Carrie who remained silent.

"Thank you!" The woman thanked in exasperation. "At least someone agrees with me." She turned back to Carrie, who was giving me a curious look. Almost as if she didn't expect me to care. "Now, Carrie, you don't need to defend them. What they did was unforgivable." Carrie remained silent and nervous looking.

"Okay, look." The principle sighed. "It doesn't look like... Carrie, is gonna point the finger. Ms. Desjardin, I need you to get to the bottom of this. Make the punishment fit the crime." He waved a hand. I frowned. This man wasn't interested in anything that had happened here. _What is wrong with these people?_

"Okay." The newly named Ms. Desjardin answered with a nod. "Now Carrie, you're excused from P.E class for the rest of the week. Just make sure you take Study Hall, okay? At the library."

"Yeah." The principle agreed. "We're gonna have to call your mom." At this statement I saw Carrie stiffen in fear.

"What?" She asked nervously.

"We're gonna have to call your mother." The principle told her again. "Carrie, I-I know she's had problems with us in the past, ever since the state stopped her from home-schooling you anymore. But... we've gotta bring her in on this."

During his explanation she'd kept shaking her head and saying "No." over and over again. She looked pretty terrified.

"We have no choice." Ms. Desjardin confirmed. "We have to tell your mom."

"No." Carrie said once again. And at that exact moment the glass container that contained the water on the drinking fountain shattered, spreading glass and water all over the place. The teachers both stood up as I looked on in shock. Carrie abruptly stood up and walked out of the room as quickly as she could, passing me a curious glance in the process.

_Did she do that? _I wondered. It wouldn't be the weirdest thing I'd seen but it would definitely make this place more worth the investigation.

"You... er, Minato." The principle got my attention. He was looking into a folder, I assumed, for my name. "Seeing as Ms. Desjardin doesn't have any more classes for the day, I'll have her show you around."

I nodded. "Thank you." I said politely. I turned to look at Ms. Desjardin who then proceeded to show me around the school.

~Minato and Carrie~

I got home after my tour of the school. It wasn't that hard to remember so it passed by rather quickly. Ms. Desjardin was a nice teacher, I started to think that maybe I might like it in the small town.

I got my laptop out in order to ask Mitsuru the question I'd been dying to all day. I logged onto the Shadow Operatives secret website (yes, we have one) and started emailing her.

_Minato__: Is there a real reason I'm here? Falling stones doesn't seem like enough to go on, especially for you._

_Mitsuru: Honestly? Looking at all the things you did before all this I thought you could use a break. So I found the most peaceful place I could and sent you on a mission there._

_Minato: Thanks, I appreciate it. There may be more going on here than you think though._

_Mitsuru: What do you mean?_

_Minato: I met that girl, Carrie, while at the school. She got emotional and a water-cooler smashed behind her. Could just be a coincidence. But that would be very convenient timing._

_Mitsuru: Interesting. Keep an eye on her until you have any definite evidence. And try to relax too._

_Minato: Will do. Over and out._

I sat back and sighed. My time to rest might become something else if this theory of mine turned out to be correct. But damn, how could anyone treat someone so cruelly?

I shook my head and began to log into YouTube. I needed to watch something funny to calm me down and YouTube was full of funny stuff. I got onto the video website and looked on the recent uploads to see if anything good had been put on recently. I stopped on one particular video. The thumbnail showed a face I'd seen earlier in the day. Carrie White. She looked like she was crying.

I clicked the video and was brought to a scene in a shower. A large group of girls were surrounding Carrie, who was bleeding from the vagina, and throwing tampons at her. All the while chanting the phrase 'Plug it up!' to torment the poor girl.

My senses were clouded by rage and only one thing could come out of my mouth. "Sick little cun..."

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><p><strong>That's the second chapter of 'Minato and Carrie' out of the way. Anyone who's seen Die Hard should recognize the guy from the beginning of the chapter. I couldn't help myself, I just had to put him in.<strong>

**Next Chapter: Meeting and Investigation**


	3. Meeting and Investigation

**Welcome to chapter 3 of 'Minato and Carrie'. I hope you're enjoying it so far because I've got more in store for you!**

**I've got a couple of review so far and I'm glad to see that I'm doing this right. I'd like to say that I am in fact going to be taking this story slowly. The idea has been in my head for a while but I saw how big a risk it was to do this. This is the kind of story that's easy to mess up and I want to do it well, so I plan on really thinking this thing through before uploading each chapter.**

**I do not own the poem 'A Good Man Goes to War'. The poem belongs to the writers of Doctor Who. I simply use it for Minato's own poem scene, with one tweak.**

**Let's begin.**

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><p><span>Meeting and Investigation<span>

_I was flying. Up and up and up. Up towards the gargantuan creature that had emerged from the moon. I knew what I had to do but that didn't make me any less afraid. I'd just gotten my life together the way it should have been yet... I didn't want to think about it._

_I could hear my friends calling to me down below. Yukari, Mitsuru, Junpei, Akihiko, Fuuka, Ken, Aigis, even Koromaru was barking his little head off. _

_I landed in front of the creature, a mere mist in front of my eyes. I saw it and I was terrified. I wanted to run and hide but I knew I couldn't. It was going to end like this from the very beginning. I think I knew the entire time that this is how it would end for me. I just never wanted to admit it._

_I drew Deus Xiphos and stared at the monster with pure hate. Most of my life had been death and emptiness. And when you got down to it, this thing was the cause of all of it. I saw it form the purple ball of energy surrounded by darkness but I did not move. I'd come to far. I'd lost too much to give up here._

_"Come on then you bitch." I hissed at it._

_The ball was on me in seconds and I felt the dark power of the thing within. Any normal person would've died. Any other Persona user would've died. But not me. I had the power that my friends had given me with our bonds to one another. I was their strength and they, mine. I stood there and gave the thing a look that said 'is that all you got!?'_

_It hit me with the energy again and again. The pain was unbearable but I held on. I had to. I was the one who was going to stop it. Put and end to The Fall. This thing wasn't going to hurt anyone else!_

_I raised my hand and pointed a finger at the gigantic creature. "Great Seal." Were the only two words that left my mouth as power that once surged through me, life that once surged through me, left my body and bound the creature behind a giant stone door. For the rest of time..._

_Everything faded as I fell. Fell towards the Earth. Back towards my allies._

~Minato and Carrie~

I awoke with a start in the middle of the night. _That was... that was the night I sealed Nyx. _I'd been having nightmares about it since it happened, they were never quite so vivid as that though. What's different?

I couldn't think of any reason why the dreams became so clear all of a sudden. I could tell that it was going to be on my mind for a while so rather than agonize over it at the time, I thought I'd do my job. Mitsuru had left me some equipment that picks up on the energy Shadows produce. It's undetectable to most people but this stuff is especially designed to pick it up.

It looked something like a giga-counter with a little screen underneath the counter. The screen itself creates a map of the area around me as I explore it and places little red dots in the areas where the Shadows are. We used them all the time back in SEES. Well, we used the map bit. There wasn't really much need for the counter as we already knew where all the Shadows on the island were most of the time.

I got dressed and exited my house with the counter. I activated it the second I got outdoors and what I found astounded me. The gauge on the counter was three quarters to the max! There was that much Shadow activity in a small place like this!? There were so many questions running through my head but one stood out among the others: if there are so many Shadows here, then why weren't they out attacking people?

Last time the Shadows caused problems they would use something called The Dark Hour to put humans into a dormant state where they became coffin-like objects. They would leave certain people awake and then feast on them, leaving them in a near catatonic state for the rest of their lives. We Persona users were the only ones able to stay awake during The Dark Hour without the Shadows coming after us. There was no Dark Hour in Chamberlain. At least not from what I'd seen. So where the fuck were all the goddamn Shadows!?

I sighed in annoyance at all the unanswered questions. _Looks like my stay's been extended _I thought. I approached the White's residence across the street, taking care to be quiet. I held the counter against the house and the gauge shot to the maximum it could go and it was trying to go further. _Holy shit... _Carrie White's house was a fucking hot-spot for Shadow activity! But that once again begged the question of why they hadn't made themselves known.

I decided to go back to my house, get some sleep and then mull it over in school the next day. The Whites had survived in that place for this long so I figured I could leave them for a night. If I was correct then it was clear that nothing knew it'd been discovered yet. That worked to my advantage.

I got into the house and went to the fridge. I pulled out a bottle of whiskey. Don't ask me where I got it, that's not important. I only really drank it when the nightmares got too much to handle. And even then I only had half a glass. It's not that bad, right? I mean, it does help me sleep when I need the extra help.

I drank from the glass of whiskey as I thought back to the events of the day. _Those kids are sick and twisted. That poor girl must feel terrible... that's it! _A wave of determination flowed over me. _It's clear that she needs someone to help her with all the shit, so I'll be her friend. Build up her confidence so she can stand up for herself._

It was perfect. I had a secondary goal to balance out my primary mission. I had to do something at least relatively normal while I was in Chamberlain otherwise Mitsuru would bitch me out for not relaxing. Plus, after watching that video... it just wouldn't feel right to leave her on her own. Something had to be done and it didn't look like anyone else gave a shit.

I was going to help Carrie White.

Not that I hadn't planned on it anyway. Helping people is what I do best.

~Minato and Carrie~

The drive to school wasn't as peaceful as the last one. Mostly because there were other cars on the road now.

I was thinking about it and Mitsuru had said that the equipment wasn't 100% proven to work yet so I could still be wrong about all the Shadow activity. Then there was the other matter.

Carrie White.

Good God, I needed to help her. That look in her eyes when I saw her in the office was heartbreaking, that expression that said she wasn't used to even relatively friendly gestures. Then there was the video. I wasn't going to speak to any of those people unless I had no other choice. This entire thing was about making Carrie feel better and I'd be damned if I wasn't going to do just that.

I never knew where the urge to help people came from. It was just something I had my whole life, if someone needed help with their life I'd give it. I made friends with a dying man in his final weeks. I helped a monk get his marriage in order and give up his drinking problem. Hell, I unknowingly helped my teacher appreciate her job (that one ended a bit weirdly though). It was just something I couldn't help doing.

I think I had the curiosity about what happened the day before to help with the motivation to get to know Carrie. A water cooler doesn't just smash on its own and her emotional outburst coincided perfectly with the moment that it did. Even if it wasn't Shadows there was definitely something going on here. I wouldn't be very good at my job if I didn't find out what.

After all, without this job what use am I? The only reason I was considered so special before was because Death itself was living inside me. Unless I made myself useful there would be no point to have me around.

I shook my head of those thoughts. This wasn't the time to be negative. I started thinking about the class assignment I'd been given for literature class the day before. I'd been given the homework the rest of the class had been given so that I'd be prepared as the rest of them. We had to bring in a poem of some sort.

I was never really into poetry. It never really appealed to me on many levels. There were a few that I liked but it was hard to pick between them since they all registered in my mind as something that spoke to me in a way that no other poems could.

I smiled to myself as my internal dilemma was solved. I knew what I was going to bring into class.

I unknowingly passed a certain lonely blonde girl walking down the road to school. Carrie White was someone I'd come to be quite familiar with over the next month.

~Minato and Carrie~

Speaking of Carrie. It turned out that the only class I had with her on that day was the Literature class. The world works in weird ways, doesn't it?

I was bored. Very bored. I ended up just blankly staring out of the window. It was a nice day outside. Plenty of sunshine, no clouds, no rain, no wind. Well, I thought there was no wind. No leaves were rustling on the trees or anything but for some reason a flag started blowing. Weird.

I was brought out of my stupor when the teacher called out a name of interest. "Carrie." He called from his desk. "Do you have your poem? Did you bring one?"

A few of the students in the class started giggling. I guess he'd called on her a few times. There was one thing I was picking up from this experience so far. American kids are assholes.

After a few moments silence she nervously replied. "Yeah..."

"Why don't you come up to the front of the class and share it with us?" The teacher suggested.

She stood up nervously and slowly walked to the front of the class. I could tell from my seat that she was just barely keeping herself composed in front of so many people.

"This un..." She hesitated. "this unfrequented place to find some ease, ease to the body some, none to the mind, times past and what once i was and what am now O wherefore was my birth from heaven foretold, twice by an angel, who at last in sight of both my parents all in flames ascended."

After a few more moments of silence the teacher spoke up. "Okay, that was uh... disturbing. That is the most you've said in class all year. Is there more you'd like to share, or are you done scaring us for the day?"

"Asshole." I coughed into my hand.

"Excuse me, mister..." He looked at the class register. "Arisato. Did you say something?"

"I said awesome." I told him with a smirk. "I thought the poem Carrie read was awesome. Didn't you, sir?" The entire class was staring at me in shock at this point, but none more so than Carrie herself.

The teacher didn't have anything to say back to me so simply settled with. "Why don't you share something, mister Arisato?"

"Okay." I shrugged and got up in front of the class as Carrie sat down. I cleared my throat. "Demons run when a good man goes to war, night will fall and drown in sun, when a good man goes to war, friendship dies and true love lies, night will fall and the dark will rise, when a good man goes to war, demons run but count the cost, the battle's won but innocence is lost, when a good man goes to war."

The class was once again silent. "Another weirdo... great..." I heard the teacher mumble under his breath. I flashed him the middle finger behind my back as I went back to my desk.

I sat down in my seat again and smiled at what I'd just done. If even the teachers were doing this shit then I had my work really cut out for me. I was so busy contemplating how to approach Carrie for a conversation that I didn't notice said girl taking curious glances at me throughout the rest of the lesson.

Nor did I realize I had just entered myself into the planning of a regretful former-tormentor.

~Minato and Carrie~

The bell rang for the end of class and Carrie hurried out the door. That was fine. I hadn't thought of how to start up that conversation yet anyhow.

I was on my way out of the classroom when I was stopped by someone. It was a young man with dark brown hair, bordering on black. He was wearing one of those jersey's that high school jocks normally wear so I could tell he was a sport-loving kind of guy.

Next to him was a girl with long blonde hair. She was quite pretty and had a sort of regretful air about her. I recognized her after a few seconds. She was one of the girls in the shower from that video!

"Hey, how's it going?" The guy asked. "I'm Tommy. Tommy Ross. You're the new kid... Arisato, wasn't it?"

"Minato Arisato." I told him.

"Sounds foreign, where are you from?"

"Japan."

"Heh, thought so." He pulled the blonde girl forwards to introduce me. "This is my girlfriend, Sue Snell. I figured you, being the new kid, would need some people to hang out with. You up for it?"

I thought it over for a moment. "Sure." I responded. I was a little wary of Sue because of the video, but Tommy seemed like a nice enough guy. Plus, I know regret when I see it so I could tell she was sorry for what she did. Only time would tell whether or not she made up for it.

"What brought you down to the States?" Tommy asked me as we walked to our next class. Which, oddly enough, we had together.

"Needed a change of scenery." I half-lied to him.

"Do you tend to stick up for people a lot?" Sue asked out of the blue. I could tell right away that she was referring to the incident in the classroom.

"Yeah," I told her. "Someone's got to do it. It just seems like I'm the only one who gives a shit."

"Damn straight." Tommy praised. "If you hadn't done it, I fucking would've."

"It's just a matter of seeing everyone as human beings and not your own personal performing monkeys." I told them both, trying to slip a little lecture for Sue in on the sly. "Every human being has their limits. One act of kindness is sometimes all it takes to make sure they never reach those limits." And I should know. I spent all of the last year helping people.

We arrived at the classroom. "This has been an enlightening conversation." Tommy comments. "Catch you after class, Minato?"

"Yep." I replied simply before entering the classroom. I hoped that I'd given Sue something to think about.

~Minato and Carrie~

Home once again. I spent a little time hanging out with Tommy and Sue after school but not all that much. I still had a job to do after all. Sue kept asking me stuff about Carrie, which I told her I didn't know a lot of since I hadn't really spoken to her yet.

I wondered why Sue wanted my opinion on Carrie? I told her that I thought she seemed like a nice girl and she seemed to start thinking about something. Weird.

I was getting on my laptop to continue emailing Mitsuru. She needed to know about all the Shadow energy even if it was only faulty equipment. If it turned out to be the real deal then I wanted to be prepared.

_Minato: How accurate would you say the equipment it?_

_Mitsuru: Not very, it's only just come out of the lab. There are still a few bugs but it's the best we've got._

_Minato: Right, 'cause I scanned the area earlier and the Shadow energy flowing through this place was off the damn charts! Specifically around the White's residence._

_Mitsuru: I wouldn't worry about it, the equipment isn't as reliable as we'd like yet. I'll try and send you the improved version when it gets finished. For now just rest, that's why I sent you out there after all._

_Minato: OK, thnx._

I couldn't be bothered to type anymore so I settled for a quick goodbye. I looked at my bed longingly and realized just how much sleep I'd missed out on earlier in the day. I flopped out on my bed, promising that I would have a lasting conversation with Carrie White before the week was up.

Jesus Christ, if only I'd seen what I did the next day coming.

* * *

><p><strong>There you have it. I have the plot pretty much done in my notes now and it's looking good. The updates won't come out very quickly because I have other stories to do as well but don't worry, they'll come.<strong>

**Next Chapter: The Fateful Favor**


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